Although the existence of glycoproteins (i.e., carbohydrate-containing proteins) and glycolipids (i.e., carbohydrate-containing lipids) as subclasses of proteins and lipids, respectively, has been known for some time, the initial understanding of the importance of the carbohydrate (also known as "oligosaccharide") portion of these molecules has been more recent. Carbohydrates have been implicated as crucial structures involved in numerous biological processes. The carbohydrate interaction may be with amino acid sequences (e.g., lectin motifs in a protein) or carbohydrates. Examples of biological processes in which carbohydrates are important include tumor cell metastasis, inflammatory processes and autoimmune responses.
Due to the difficulties in current approaches to modification (e.g., inhibition) of biological processes involving carbohydrate structures, there is a need in the art for improved methods and compositions to effect such modifications. The present invention fills this need, and further provides other related advantages.